Front-wheel construction



1,641,224 p 1927' E. R. GURNEY FRONT WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1.1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

ERVIHG R.

GURNEY', 9}? NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO IIETE-RNATIONAL KUTOR G9 PANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPGRATIQIJ OF DELAWARE.

FRONT-WHEEL consrnucrr'on.

k ucauon Since August 7, 1928. serial H0. 127,335.

.This invention relates to a wheel structure for motor vehicles and hasespecialreference A to disc wheels having braking mechanism associatedtherewith and adapted to he used 6 as the steering wheels of thevehicle. I

The object of the present invention is to provide a structurewhich'shall be practical from the standpoint of manufacture and' use,wherein-the component elements have the requisite strength for thepurpose at hand and are so disposed as to function efiiciently whencombined in compact relation within the limits of standardized motorvehicle wheels. Accordingly the axle is supported by the wheel throughthe'inst-ru-mentelity or a unitary T-sheped'knuckle and knucklepinstructure havin a passage therethrough for the wheel spind e of a. discwheel. A brake drum is carried by the disc wheel and is disposed in .aplane including the knuckle pin so that the brake actuating mechanismmaybe positioned in the axis of the knuckle pin in order to he operablewhen steering. Brake shoes are pivoted upon anchors dependin upon eitherside of the steering knuckle i roni bosses formed there on and a. cam toexpend the shoes-displaces bearing members reciprocal in a bracketcarried above the steering knuckle. The near- 39 iug races for the wheelspindle are disposed outwardly of the-steering knuckle on the outer endthereof between the brake drum and the wheel disc, and are positioned atthat end between a cylindrical flange on the wheel disc and a collar onthe steering knuckle. On the inner end the bearing rages are dis posedwithin the steering knuckle. I

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect 1e same" will nowbe described more fully inconnection with the following detailed description 075 a preferredembodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings andin which:

Figure l is a view in transverse vertical section showing the wheel andbrake mecha? nism according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation looking from the right in Figure 1and showing the brake mechanism in greater detail.

The axle a is suspended from a unitary T-shaped knuckle and knuckle pinstructure I) through the instrumentslity of roller .bearings I;supported by a lock out (i engaging the iower end of the knuckle pinportion 6'.

"pneumatic tire.

This knuckle structure I; is hollow and. the -steering knuckle portionis formed as a passage 25 for the wheel spindle e. Outwardly the wheelspindle is supported in roller bear ings f disposed between the wheeldisc and the knuckle pin inhearing races on the outer or circumferentialsurface of thesteering knuckle the inner bearing race ff of the pair Ibeing positioned by means of a .collar 12' on the steering knuckle andthe outer bearing race f being carried by an ennulusg bolted to a flange0 formed on the outerend of the wheel spindle. The spindle tapers inwardl and its inner end a is of reduced cylinrical form to receive thehearing race 'memher it cooperating with a bearing race it in theenlarged inner end 1; of the steering knuckle, the internal diameter ofwhich is increased at that point to receive the hearing race Thisbearing is disposed substen- 75 tially without the inner marginalsurface of the wheel. The annulus g also serves as a support for thewheel disc 1' which may beof pressed metal and may have formed thereon.9, riin receiving portion 11 for a Inwardly the -annulus g has securedthereto it broke drum i preferably by the same bolts is which secure'thewheel disethereto. The brake drum is reinforced against the expandingbrake shoes by a ring Z.

As is customary, the steering knucklefis provided with an arm 11?.rearwerdly thereof to which the steering connection is attached whileforwardly there is disposed an arm 1:. for the drag link connecting thesteering knuckles of the two front wheels. These arms are carried bybosses 5 formed on the steerin knuckle which serve as supports for thebra e mechanism.

Because of the presence of the steering device and the necessity forfreedom of move.

merit two brake shoes 0, 0 are provided adapted to expend against theinterior surface of the brake drum one on each side 9 of the steeringknuckle. The brekeshoes are pivoted at their lowermost ends upondownwardly diverging arms 11 bolted to the extensions b"f0rn1ed on thesteering knuckle. Preferably stud bolts p'threaded into the arms pextend through passages bin the homes I) to receive the nuts 71. Theupper ends of the brake shoes 'are adapted to be separated, forfrictional engagementwith the brake drum by means of the cum elea V iment (1 seated within abrake shoe wear plate 1' which bears against thebrake shoe adjusting bolts '0 to expand them against the action of thereturn spring a. It will he observed from an inspect-ion of the drawingsthat the brake shoe wear plate is supported from the stecrin knucklebthe bifurcated frame a which is securer thereto by the same stud boltswhich secure the brake anchors to the steering knuckle.

It will thus beseen that a wheel structure has been provided wherein thenecessary'stccring and braking devices are ini-oiporated compactly andspace within which to function, the disposition of the hearings beingupon the respective sides of the brake drum and steering devices whichare operable in the same general plane in order to beeilicacious whenthe plane of the wheel varies during steer- 'havinga passage for a wheelspindle and formed on either side of the knuckle portion withindependent bosses disposed in the plane of the knuckle pin transverseto the axis of the passage and means to secure a brake anchor thereto.

2. In e brake mounting T-shaped unitary yet with ample nausea steeringknuckle and knuckle pin structure having a passage for a wheel spindleand formed on either side of the knuckle portion with a boss disposed inthe plane of the knuckle pin transverse to the axis of the pasi beingformed in its upper surface with seat in the plane of the bosses, for abracket supporting'brake actuating devices and bolts to secure theanchors and bracket to the bosses respectively.

4. In a brake mounting, in combination, a steering knuckle formed withbosses, do pending brake anchors supported from the bosses,respectively, a bracket supported on the bosses, bolts passing throughthe to secure the anchors and bracket thereto, brake shoes pivoted onthe anchors, re spectively, and separable bearings reciprocal in thebracket to expand the brake shoes.

This specification signed this 2nd day of August, A. D. 1926.

ERVING R. ti-URNEY.

